Custodian Union Approves Contract

The Northampton School District and its maintenance and custodial workers union have agreed on a contract that will raise salaries 4 to 5 percent each of the next three years.

By a 24-2 vote, the workers ratified the pact Saturday, according to Don Landis, president of Teamsters Local 773, who negotiated for the workers. The two sides reached a tentative agreement about two weeks ago, he said.

The contract, which takes effect July 1, gives workers average salary increases of 5 percent, 4.5 percent and 4 percent over the next three years. The pact covers 38 employees.

Custodians currently earn about $10.50 per hour, according to Dale Utt, the business administrator who handled negotiations for the school board.

Negotiations began in November and were briefly interrupted by a change in union leadership, he said.

One concession, Utt said, was the acceptance by the union of higher deductibles in health benefits.

"There is a small measure of cost sharing," Utt said. "That was important to the (school) board."

Landis the health benefits package was a compromise.

"We know what the problem is with health care across the country," he said.

Landis called the negotiations "very tough," but praised the district for letting Utt, whom he said was fair, negotiate.